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What's The 'Chargers Fan' Meme Conspiracy Theory? NFL Fanatics Are Claiming That Viral 'Chargers Girl' Is An 'Industry Plant' Paid Actress
NFL fans are purporting a conspiracy theory about an Asian woman at Monday night's LA Chargers game, hypothesizing that she's a paid actress or industry plant meant to astroturf memes and morale.
What's been dubbed the Industry Plant Chargers Fan theory is spreading fast as sports publications like Barstool Sports have increased the speculation and discourse with viral posts on its TikTok and Twitter / X accounts. Would the NFL really pay actors to cheer on television? Many are not putting it past Commissioner Roger Goodell.
So, what is the conspiracy theory and why are people believing it and spreading it? Let's explain.
Who Is The Woman In The 'Chargers Fan' Meme?
The woman at the center of this growing conspiracy is an unnamed fan at last night's LA Chargers game against the Dallas Cowboys. At multiple points during the broadcast, the camera panned to this seemingly unknowing fan who portrayed a series of emotions.
Because she was so frequently featured on camera and her range of expressions was so intense, she immediately became a prime candidate for reaction images and memes spawning from the night.
What's The 'Industry Plant Chargers Fan' Conspiracy Theory?
Many people watching the game at home started to portray skepticism online over how often the woman was featured on TV. NFL fans thought that the woman was almost too perfect for meme exploitation, believing that she could have been paid to generate viral moments that appeared to be organic and wholesome.
Lots of skepticism about the NFL manipulating audiences stems from fan theories about scripted games which trended all of the 2022-23 season and has even led to skepticism in other professional sports leagues like the NBA.
The "industry plant" theory was widely purported and popularized by Barstool Sports employee Jack Mac, who posted a video to TikTok after yesterday's game that racked up over 4 million views in less than a day.
In the video, Jack Mac referenced how the LA Chargers fanbase was struggling compared to other teams, mostly because the Chargers recently moved from San Diego to Los Angeles where it was competing for the market with the LA Rams.
In turn, Jack Mac didn't put it passed Roger Goodell to pay actors as a way to up the morale of the Chargers' fanbase.
@barstoolsports The NFL’s First Ever Industry Plant Fan 😧 @Jack Mac ♬ original sound – Barstool Sports
For the full history of NFL industry plant chargers fan theory, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for even more information.
